CALGARY, Alberta — Lauren Coughlin held the lead Friday at the CPKC Women’s Open, and Canadian star Brooke Henderson was undone by closing bogeys at a windy and smoky Earl Gray Golf Club.
Coughlin followed his opening 4-under 68 on Thursday into cold and windy conditions with a 70 on Friday to move to 6 under, a stroke ahead of Hannah Green and Haeran Ryu. Temperatures reached the 70s after climbing slightly into the 60s on Thursday.
“I think I handled it well overall,” Coughlin said. “It was really hard to judge how far the ball would go with the wind blowing and how firm the greens were. And they had strong pins, especially considering where the wind was going.”
Playing in dust smoldering from wildfires, Henderson bogeyed the final four holes for his afternoon round of 73 that left him seven strokes back at one over. He won the 2018 tournament.
“Most of the day I was 3 under, so I feel good,” Henderson said. “To go 1, that’s not the best feeling. But what you can do is move on and try to learn from some of the things you did there.”
Coughlin is coming off a fourth place finish two weeks ago in France at the Evian major championships. The 31-year-old former University of Virginia player is winless on the LPGA Tour.
On Friday, he had an unprecedented three birdies and dropped a stroke on the 4th 11th. In two rounds, he was 7 under on the first nine holes and 1 over on the second nine.
“I pitched really well,” Coughlin said. “He put two really well all day. He used the back nine, which is what you have to do, and hold on to the back nine.”
Green matched Coughlin with 70. The Australian has won twice this year, taking the HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore in February and the JM Eagle LA Championship in April.
“It was tough out there,” Green said. “There was a strong wind gust, especially our last couple of holes, so committing to the shots you had in mind was difficult.”
Ryu came 18th out of 69.
“The weather is really bad,” said Ryu. “It’s a little cold and windy.”
The 23-year-old South Korean won the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship last year for his first LPGA Tour title. He was second last week in Ohio at the Dana Open.
Three-time champion Lydia Ko had a 71 to join Lilia Vu (70) and Jennifer Kupcho (72) at 3 under. Ko won as an amateur in 2012 at the age of 15, successfully defended his title as an amateur in 2013 and won as a professional in 2015.
“It’s not easy — and I think the points are showing,” Ko said. “Anything less than the last few days is a tight cycle. I’m happy with how I started this week.”
Kupcho moved to 8 under after bogeying five of eight holes in his morning round, then 5 over the rest of the way. He had a double bogey on the par-4 16th, four bogeys and a birdie in his last nine holes.
“I feel bad,” said Kupcho. “I think in hindsight I still hit 15 greens. Like I was hitting the ball pretty well. Three-putted 10 and 11 and 16. I didn’t play too bad. I had a few swingy putts — and that’s going to happen.”
Lexi Thompson was in the group with Henderson tied for 26th at 1 over after a 73. The American plans to play a limited schedule after this season.
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